Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Folktales

"Once upon a time, little girl, there was a large city. It was bigger than any other city far and wide. Some said it was a megalopolis-- that's a fancy word for a city that goes on and on. And, in this city, there was people of all kinds, but some weren't like the others. Some of em' were pitch, dark things that didn't fare well for an honest days work, or truthful speech. Many of the kindly, upstanding folk had a right mind to leave, but where would they go? Couldn't go west, 'cause there was more of them. Couldn't go east 'cause the weather was bad. Couldn't go north 'cause they were equal and free. Couldn't go south 'cause then you'd right end up in the ocean! Things were tense in the large city. Something needed to change.

"There were these places in the city, places where one could go and amuse themselves: have a drink, play some cards, or whatever sin you preferred. I didn't care for them much myself. I was only a girl then. But the men, and the less respectable women folk, loved them. And all those poor folk that bothered the kindly ones? They couldn't go. They couldn't afford it. So things got better for a little while.

"Sooner or later the problem got worse. Laws were passed, things were said in the capitol that made everything the kind folk did seem like it was all for naught! Very soon there was more black and brown than you could shake a stick at, I tell you what. The kind folk hated it. They hated them.

"One day, a rich man came into town, spoutin' all kinds of nonsense, but the people listened. He promised them peace, sanctuary, a world that could grow and be free. He was a business oriented man, but fair. He charged us all a flat rate, and many of the people could go. It all started with one cavern, old indian land on his father's property, then he dug, and dug some more. Like a mole he tunneled under the large town, with none the wiser. In the cool darkness we found a new home and peace and quiet.

"Sooner or later the city officials found out. That year a cave-in happened. A tragic mess that was. Many died, many of them good folk with no grudge for us. But the high law of the land came down and told us to stop. The people were furious, but what could they do? The rich man had run out of his father's inheritance, and our plans seemed ruined.

"Unknown to us the rich man had a plan.

"He staged another cave in, one that would make it look like we were all gone and dead. After digging deeper, he made the entire cave collapse behind us. But we were safe, safe and alone. It was only a little while after that the people forgot about us on top. We were better for it, all of us were. There we grew and grew. The miners dug for us, helped us find new places to be. We were happy even though some had their two cents on the matter. And from that day on we lived free, free and alone."